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Lafayette, Louisiana, is a historic city just off the coast of the Gulf of Mexico with a booming local culinary scene, which means there are endless restaurants you can visit for creative dishes with the freshest surf and turf menus. That’s why there’s no better way to spend your Valentine’s Day than on one of the many Lafayette food tours!

No matter what your favorite cuisine or dish is, you can
find a food tour in Lafayette that will cater to you. Lovers of Cajun food can
jump on the Cajun Food Tours bus any day of the week and try dishes from six
restaurants, all for one low price paid at the beginning of the tour.

Mediterranean Connection is another great tour that will
take you around the many restaurants serving authentic, creative foods from
Greece, Lebanon, and other countries on the coast of the Mediterranean sea.
What’s more romantic than imagining the clear waters and ancient architecture
of coastal Europe while you eat?

You can get even more specific and go on a crawfish tour,
checking out the best crawfish Lafayette has to offer, or hit the Cajun Boudin
Trail to try a wide variety of dishes that include this famous Cajun blood
sausage, or sample Lafayette’s many gumbos.

Maybe this Valentine’s Day you’d rather sample a little of
everything. Try the Best Food Town tour, named after the title of “Best Food
City in the USA” given to Lafayette by USA
Today. Or, if you’re looking to fill up on lunch before your evening plans,
try the Plate Lunch Experience.

It’s the time of year for resolutions. While you’re setting your goals for 2019, don’t forget about that one companion who will always be with you along the way—your car. These New Year’s resolutions for your car will help you get a great start to 2019.

Be Fuel Efficient

Are you getting the most out of every tank of gas? There are
ways you can optimize your fuel by changing the way your drive. One key is to
avoid any degree of aggressive driving, including excessive braking and quick
acceleration. All of this uses more fuel than necessary. Another way to cut
down on fuel usage is to clean out your car, as the more weight you carry the
more gas your vehicle uses.

Don’t Idle

Idling is bad for everyone and everything involved. If you’re
going to be stopped for longer than 30 seconds, turn off the engine.

Keep Your Car in Shape

One of your personal resolutions might be to get or stay in
shape, but this resolution can apply to your car as well! Make it your 2019
goal to stay on top of car maintenance. Get regular oil changes and check ups,
check the tire pressure and oil levels regularly, and keep the exterior and
interior of your car clean.

Mitsubishi recently announced it would be partnering with Google to develop innovative infotainment technologies by 2021. Some of the major goals of this partnership include equipping more models with cloud-based services as well as turn-by-turn navigation and Google Assistant. In short, you’ll be better connected than ever before when you choose a Mitsubishi.

According to the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, the Alliance Intelligent Cloud is perhaps one of the biggest additions to the current lineup of infotainment technologies. There’s easy-to-integrate data management, infotainment, remote diagnostics, and more through the Alliance Intelligent Cloud. Thanks to this new partnership between the auto conglomerate and Google, Mitsubishi cars of the future will likely have some of the most advanced infotainment on the market.

“Our partnership with Google will offer owners of our vehicles rich user experiences that are currently available only outside the vehicle or, to a limited extent, by connecting an Android device to supported vehicles,” said Hadi Zablit, Senior Vice President of Business Development at Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi.

In addition to high-tech cloud and infotainment services, Mitsubishi is also working with Google to develop a series of zero-emissions electric vehicles as well as autonomous-driving technologies. These are just some of the ways the Mitsubishi brand is revolutionizing the industry.

Your holiday road trip doesn’t have to be stressful. Keeping some additional tools and helpful items around can help ensure it goes smoothly.

First Aid Kit

Medical emergencies can happen anywhere, even if the “medical emergency” in question is just a papercut. Have a First Aid Kit stocked with the basics. l like anti-bacterial creams, bandages, painkillers, and gauze. If anyone in your vehicle needs medication, make sure it’s packed. Just leave the more serious stuff to the professionals.

Chargers

All chargers for mobile devices – from smartphones to gaming devices to tablets and more – should be brought along for the ride.

Portable Jump Starters

Did you know you don’t need two vehicles to jump a car? Portable jump starters fit right into the glove compartment and easily jump your car with the push of a button. Many jump starters even come with USB chargers or built-in flashlights.

Flashlight

Speaking of flashlights, they’re pretty handy to have around, especially if your vehicle breaks down on the side of the road. For the mechanically inclined, flashlights help you see; for those who need assistance, they can be an SOS signal.

Neck Pillow & Blankets

Staying comfortable for a long ride can make a world of a difference. Stay comfy with a travel pillow and some cozy blankets.

Working with Lee Asher and The Asher House, Mitsubishi recently took action to help dogs in shelters find homes by donating a Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross. Asher, who quit his job to devote his life to finding shelter dogs a good home, has facilitated the adoption of more than 145 dogs in the past year and a half.

The donation was part of Mitsubishi’s “Drive your Ambition” campaign, which is designed to provide for individuals and organizations who work hard to make a difference in the communities in which they live. According to Mitsubishi, the Eclipse Cross was an ideal donation because of its roomy and easy-to-clean cargo space, which is perfect for driving dogs to and from adoption events and homes.

“Our consumers have wide-ranging ambitions in life and Mitsubishi Motors is here to help drive those ambitions,” said Mark Chaffin, chief operating officer, MMNA. “Lee started with a passion when he created The Asher House and it has become a movement to help raise awareness for rescue animals and shelters across the country; Asher’s bold decision to take action on his ambition is admirable and we’re privileged to be able to help support his mission.”

The Eclipse Cross has seating for five people (or dogs!), as well as convenient features like MITSUBISHI CONNECT so you can easily get emergency assistance or remote climate control through an easy-to-use smartphone app. Even with the wear and tear sometimes caused by driving with your pets, the Eclipse Cross is backed by a 10-year/100,000-mile limited warranty to provide added peace of mind. To learn more about this vehicle, or any other Mitsubishi model, and how it can haul your pets from place to place, contact us at Hampton Mitsubishi.

Fall is a great time for hiking and biking and the beautiful parks in Lafayette make being outdoors a joy. Here are a few of our favorites:

Cyprus Island: A swamp and hardwood forest are two of the more prominent features of this 9,500-acre preserve. You’ll also see several different species of birds and other wildlife. Before you head out, check to see when the 2.5-mile walking trail is open; it closes during alligator season.

Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site: Louisiana’s oldest state park is located about 30 minutes from Lafayette. It celebrates the cultural significance of the people along the Bayou Teche, a 125-mile-long waterway. There’s also a museum and historic buildings at the site.

Girard Park: There’s a 1.25-mile jogging trail, basketball and tennis courts, a pool, pond, restrooms and a playground for children. There’s also a short, paved walkway meant for strollers, restrooms and a rec center.

We hope you find some time to get out and enjoy the amazing parks in Lafayette. To make sure your car is up to all your exploring this fall, schedule a maintenance check with our trained technicians at Hampton Mitsubishi.

If you didn’t get enough authentic Cajun-ness from your visit to Acadian Village, run over to our neighbors in Saint Martinville and take a swamp tour. From the safety of your speedboat, a real swamp-man will talk you through all the beautiful waterfowl, monstrous gators, gorgeous foliage, and swamp history.

Whether you’re popping in for some standard maintenance for your beloved “Mitsu” or checking out our wide-ranging stock of brand new models, a stop at Hampton Mitsubishi is always a good thing to do in Lafayette.

At Hampton Mitsubishi, we’re proud to support the local Lafayette community as well as be part of Hampton Auto. We think community involvement is of the utmost importance, and we’re constantly striving to help those in need and make the Lafayette community the very best it can be. Here are a few recent highlights of Hampton Auto’s support of the community.

Recently, Fran and Mark Hampton made a $10,000 donation to United Way to help flood victims. As Mark said, “Acadiana has been so good to all of us and this is just a way in hopes of paying back this community that we love so much!”

In 2016, Hampton Toyota — a sister dealership to Hampton Mitsubishi — was named the Best of 2016 Lafayette Auto Dealer. Every year, the Lafayette Award Program selects the best local businesses around in terms of business growth, customer care and service, and community involvement. We’re very proud that Hampton Toyota was named to this elite list.

In 2014, Hampton Toyota proudly took part in the Patriot Guard Riders Care Package Drive. The Patriot Guard Riders work tirelessly to support the families and attend the funerals of fallen service members: U.S. military, firefighters, and police. The Care Package Drive collects items such as blankets, toiletries, and other items we use daily and monetary donations to build the care packages, delivering these packages to veterans and other retired service members living in Lafayette’s local nursing homes. At Hampton Mitsubishi, we proudly stand with and serve those who have served us.

Smartphone apps have become a big part of many aspects of our lives, including our time behind the wheel. From apps that save your money to apps that help you chill out, read on to learn about the best driving apps that every driver should download.

GasBuddy

GasBuddy is an incredible, easy-to-use app that helps you find the lowest gas prices possible no matter where you are in the country. This app is updated in real-time and can be a huge help when you’re far from home and not quite sure where to find the best prices on gas.

MileIQ

If driving is an important part of your daily work routine, MileIQ should definitely be on your smartphone. This app automatically records driving info such as total miles driven and start/ stop time, making keeping track of all your work-related diving easier than ever before.

Headspace

Headspace isn’t necessarily a driving app, but it makes our list because it is a wonderful way to transform your daily commute into some much-need quiet time. The free app features a huge variety of relaxation and meditation exercises that are fun and easy. Especially if you find yourself struggling with road rage, this might be just the app for you.

The 2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross arrives as one of the industry’s latest, and most impressive, crossovers. The family vehicle features plenty of interior space and a sleek style that puts competitors to shame. In order to capitalize on the launch of the all-new Eclipse Cross, Mitsubishi is moving forward with a new marketing campaign that puts a spin on the iconic moniker.

The Eclipse moniker first made its debut on Mitsubishi’s sports car. It quickly became one of the brand’s most iconic vehicles. Now the Eclipse name is looking to revolutionize the industry once more in the form of the Eclipse Cross. In order to do so, Mitsubishi is launching a new dynamic ad campaign to introduce the new crossover to the world.

The launch of the advertising campaign marks the return of the brand to major television networks like ABC and FOX. The ad features world-renowned musicians Damien Escobar and William Joseph. The pair put their own spin on Twisted Sister’s “I Wanna Rock,” a fitting tune for the stylish and smart Eclipse Cross.

“Eclipse Cross is not your typical crossover; it is defiant and clever and offers savvy show-and-tellers a vehicle that’s loaded with style and features at a great price that demands to be seen much like this campaign,” said Francine Harsini, chief marketing officer, Mitsubishi Motors North America.